“I am sorry," Will said."No," Jem said... "Don't be ordinary like that. Don't say you're sorry.”

“And yet here he was, looking at Jem Carstairs, a boy so fragile-looking that he appeared to be made out of glass, with the hardness of his expression slowly dissolving into tentative uncertainty. "You are not really dying," he said, the oddest tone to his voice, "are you?"Jem nodded. "So they tell me.""I am sorry," Will said."No", Jem said softly. He drew his jacket aside and took a knife from the belt at his waist. "Don't be ordinary like that. Don't say you're sorry. Say you'll train with me."He held the knife to Will, hilt first. Charlotte held her breath, afraid to move. She felt as if she were watching something very important happen, though she could not have said what.Will reached out and took the knife, his eyes never leaving Jem's face. His fingers brushed the other boy's as he took the weapon from him. It was the first time, Charlotte thought that she had ever seen him touch any other person willingly."I'll train with you," he said.”

“Tessa poked at her left incisor with her tongue. It was flat again, an ordinary tooth. "I don't understand what makes them come out like that!""Hunger," said Jem. "Were you think about blood?""No.""Were you thinking about eating me?" Will inquired. "No!""No one would blame you," said Jem. "He's very annoying.”

“It's Will who ought to be sorry." Jem's eyes darkened. "We shall throw him out onto the streets," he proclaimed. "I promise you he'll be gone by morning."Tessa started and sat upright. "Oh - no, you can't mean that -"He grinned. "Of course I don't. But you felt better for a moment there, didn't you?""It was like a beautiful dream," Tessa said gravely.”

“You don't think I can fight." Tessa said, drawing back and matching his silvery gaze with her own. "Because I'm a girl.""I don't think you can fight because you're wearing a wedding dress", said Jem. "For what it's worth, I don't think Will could fight in that dress either.""Perhaps not," said Will, who had ears like a bat'a. "But I would make a radiant bride.”

“Charlotte, darling," Henry said to his wife, who was staring at him in gape-mouthed horror. Jessamine, beside her, was wide eyed. "Sorry I'm late. You know, I think I might nearly have the Sensor working-"Will interrupted. "Henry," he said, "You're on fire. You do know that don't you?”

“It was Will who broke the silence. "Very well. You have me alone in the corridor-""Yes, yes," said Tessa impatiently, "and thousands of women all over England would pay handsomely for the privilege of such an opportunity. Can we put aside the display of your wit for a moment? This is important.""You want me to apologize, don't you?" Will said. "For what happened in the attic?"Tessa, caught off guard, blinked. "The attic?""You want me to say I'm sorry that I kissed you."She felt herself flush and hoped furiously that it wouldn't be visible in the darkness. "What-no. No!""So you don't want me to be sorry," Will said.”